British Baseball

Outsiders are attempting to plunder the origins of our national pasttime. British historians have apparently uncovered a diary entry from 1755 that uses the term baseball to describe a game played by British lawyer William Bray and some of his friends. The entry reads:

"Went to Stoke Ch. This morning. After Dinner Went to Miss Jeale's to play at Base Ball with her, the 3 Miss Whiteheads, Miss Billinghurst, Miss Molly Flutter, Mr. Chandler, Mr. Ford & H. Parsons & Jelly. Drank Tea and stayed till 8."

Observation No. 1: Women were playing baseball. Observation No. 2: Who the hell is this Jelly dude, and who did he have to piss off to be known as "Jelly" when everyone else gets a proper salutation of Mr. or Miss before their name? Observation No. 3: There is nothing in the entry that absolutely describes the game "Base Ball" in here, thereby offering no real proof that baseball was first played in England.

Maybe Base Ball was Bray's secret nickname for his attempts to "round the bases" with one of the many Misses on the list. Or maybe with Jelly ...